MartinLogan Ltd., a Lawrence-based designer and maker of high-end audio speakers, is moving its on-site production work to a larger plant in Canada, a move that will eliminate 12 jobs in Lawrence.

MartinLogan will retain its distribution, sales, marketing, product development, quality control, accounting and warranty-repair functions in Lawrence, where the company now employs 50 people at a complex at 2101 Del.

Employees losing their jobs will be production personnel. The move is expected to take effect March 26, with production handled by a sister company in Mississauga, Ontario, a town on the northwestern edge of Lake Ontario.

“Based on current economic conditions, we are taking steps to make sure that MartinLogan remains a viable, ongoing concern,” said Tim Valters, the company’s president and CEO.

Sue Agnitsch, MartinLogan’s vice president for finance, said that employees were told of the production consolidation during meetings Thursday.

MartinLogan has been in Lawrence since 1982, with the creation of Gayle Sanders and Ron Sutherland designing and building electrostatic loudspeakers for discerning customers — including notable musicians like Lenny Kravitz and sports superstars including Albert Pujols.

Today, the business is owned by ShoreView Industries, and its products range from home-theater speakers sold in select Best Buy locations to the electrostatic equipment that ranges from $2,000 to $50,000 per pair.

MartinLogan’s sales during the past six months are up 25 percent from the comparable six months a year earlier, said dean Tassio, the company’s senior vice president for sales and marketing. And, helped by the launch of a new line of home-theater speakers, MartinLogan expects record sales this year.

If the corporate tax was cut from the 35% in the US to the average 22% seen in other countries on average, I bet these people would be keeping their jobs and this work would be performed in the United States instead of Canada. There's something for Obama to change. Cut the taxes and create some jobs.

So...based on current economic conditions, like sales that are up 25 percent and their expectations of record sales, they need to lay people off and move jobs out of the country? And they call themselves "The Great American Speaker Company". This is the reason the recession won't end. Companies that are doing well decide to eliminate jobs and contribute to the problem. I hope they have a huge fallout from this and they probably will considering the type of customers they cater to.

Yes, just change U.S. taxes to the same rates as in all those "socialist" countries that conservatives tell us are so overtaxed (Like Canada! What business would ever want to move there?) and this company would unleash the power of the free market and have record sales...just like the record sales it is already having.

What I do know is that someone from the city's economic development office, which unfortunately is the do-nothing Chamber of Commerce, needs to go out the their offices and say "What can we do to keep these jobs in Lawrence. Not only that, what can we do to help you move all those jobs in Canada down to Lawrence." That is what should be happening. Instead the Chamber is trying to decide where the best pancakes are for the breakfast meeting.

Maybe we should look at the budget that the community has for economic development compared to surrounding communities as many are much larger than here. Also, look at the number of employees as most communities have over 3 and the Chamber has 1.

Hmm, let's see...
"MartinLogan’s sales during the past six months are up 25 percent from the comparable six months a year earlier, said dean Tassio, the company’s senior vice president for sales and marketing. And, helped by the launch of a new line of home-theater speakers, MartinLogan expects record sales this year."

Yet...
“Based on current economic conditions, we are taking steps to make sure that MartinLogan remains a viable, ongoing concern,” said Tim Valters, the company’s president and CEO.

Something doesn't add up. The latter sounds more plausible--they're having a tough time due to the recession. The other is sales talk, no matter how you spin the facts.

Put a fork in 'em eventually. You can't have production in one place and quality control and warranty repair in another, with thousands of miles between them.

The founders have left the company. On the other hand Gayle Sanders is one of the most arrogant self-important people I've ever met, so maybe they're better off without him.

The people I feel sorry for are the production staff in Lawrence. No sympathy for the ownership and mis-management.

Hmm, let's see...
"MartinLogan’s sales during the past six months are up 25 percent from the comparable six months a year earlier, said dean Tassio, the company’s senior vice president for sales and marketing. And, helped by the launch of a new line of home-theater speakers, MartinLogan expects record sales this year."

Yet...
“Based on current economic conditions, we are taking steps to make sure that MartinLogan remains a viable, ongoing concern,” said Tim Valters, the company’s president and CEO.

Something doesn't add up. The latter sounds more plausible--they're having a tough time due to the recession. The other is sales talk, no matter how you spin the facts.

Put a fork in 'em eventually. You can't have production in one place and quality control and warranty repair in another, with thousands of miles between them.

The founders have left the company. On the other hand Gayle Sanders is one of the most arrogant self-important people I've ever met, so maybe they're better off without him.

The people I feel sorry for are the production staff in Lawrence. No sympathy for the ownership and mis-management.